Rail-joint



UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

XVILLIAM FRANCIS IVEAVER, JR., OF LITTLES'IOXVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,085, dated June 8,1897. Application filed July 13, 1896. Serial No. 599,003. (No model.)

To all wi'wnt it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FRANCISlVEAVER. Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Littlestown,in the county of Adams and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rail Joints; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention, while relating in general to the class of railroadrails,yet contemplates more particularly the provision of means whereby theseveral sections of rails comprised in each of the tracks of a roadwayare so connected together as to approximate very closely, when under thestrain incident to the passage of a railroad-train, the action of asingle continuous rail without joint, and therefore at all times inperfect alineinent throughout the entire length of the roadway.

To the accomplishment of the end above set forth, the invention consistsin so forming the abutting ends of the separate rail-sections that thesaid sections when in position shall be, by the peculiar formation ofsaid joints, held in one and the same plane, so as to prac tically form,when the said separate sections are held together by the ordinaryfish-plate, a single continuous rail having the properties above setforth, whereby a perfectly smooth surface is presented to the peripheryof the truck-wheels.

The construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts comprised inthe invention are hereinafter set forth, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a top plan View of twoadjoining rail-sections connect-ed together by a joint formed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar top plan view of theparts shown in Fig. 1, the rails separated to clearly show the abuttingj oiut. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, thefish plates being removed to more clearly show the joint. Fig 4:. is anend elevation of one of the rail-sections. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofone of the sections of rail shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a top plan viewof two adjoining rail-sections, showing a modified form of the jointtherehetwejen, the rails being in contact.

Fig. 7 is a similar top plan view of the railsections shown in Fig. 6,the same being separated to more clearly show the joint.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar letters of reference denotesimilar parts, A and B designate sections of ordinary railroadrails, andO the abutting joint of said rails, which latter, it will be observed,is not cutat right angles to the axis of the rails, as is the usualpractice in this art, but rather is preferably cut at acute angles tosaid axis that is to say, the said joint extends from side to side ofthe rails at the head and base thereofwhereby I am enabled to attainends not otherwise attainable-as, for instance, to provide the saidjoints at each side of the rail with interlocking portions, whereby therails are maintained at all times in perfect alinement and so present asmooth unbroken surface to the truck-wheels.

As above stated, I provide the joint C at opposite sides of the railswith interlocking portions, which I form as follows, viz: (Z c designateshort vertical joint-faces which are formed in the side flanges of boththe head and base at a short distance from the edges thereof andparallel with the axis of the rails. f and g designate short verticaljoint-faces which extend outwardly from one end of each of the faces cland e and at acute angles with said latter faces to the side edges ofthe rails, as shown. I connect the remaining ends of the faces 6. and eby vertical faces 71, which latter extend diagonally across the body ofthe rails A B from one to the other of the faces (Z and c.

I preferably make the joint-faces of both the head and base of the railspractically the same in length, and because of this fact, in connectionwith the fact that said head and base vary greatly in width, the joint 0in the head and base of the rails will extend transversely of said railsat different angles, as shown.

I preferably abut the web H of the rails A and B squarely together at apoint intermediate of the ends of the joint C and thereby form shouldersK, which extend below the head flanges of the opposing rails and aidvery materially to strengthen and support the joint, as Will be readilyunderstood.

I provide the ends of the rails A and 13 with ICO III

suitable apertures Z to receive bolts M, that secure the fish-plates Nin position to said rails. (See dotted lines in Fig. 4.)

In practice the rails are placed together, as shown in Fig. 1, thediiferent faces 72. and h, (Z and e, andfand g, comprised in the joint0, engaging, as shown, and the shoulders 7c of each rail-section A and Bextending below and thus supporting the head of the remainingrail-section. The fish-plate N is now secured in place over the joint bythe bolts m in the ordinary manner. "vVhen thus secured together, theseparate rail-sections cannot be displaced by the strains incident tothe passage of a train, the interlocking portions bounded by the faces(1 and e and f and g operating most effectually to this end.

In the modified form of joint shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the joint 0 is inoutline somewhat different, but in action is similar to the joint shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a railroad-rail,an interlocking joint. comprising vertical faces (Z, and e, at oppositesides of and parallel with the axis of the rail. vertical faces f, andg, projecting outwardly from said faces d, and e, at acute anglestherewith and Vertical faces h, extending diagonally across the railbetween said faces 61, and e, substantially as described.

2. In an interlocking rail joint, vertical faces d, and 6, connected to,and by vertical faces f, g, and h, at angles to said faces (1, and e,shoulders 70, on the web of the rail and fishplates N, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM FRANCIS WEAVER, JR.

Vitnesses:

II. S. Snnnrs, E. BASOHOAR.

